AN elderly woman had to be rescued from her Little Hulton flat after her bedroom caught fire.

A crew from Farnworth Fire Station were called to the home in Captain Fold Road, Little Hulton at about 2pm.

It is understood that a discarded cigarette had set fire to a curtain in an upstairs bedroom.

Firefighters had to break down the front door wearing breathing apparatus to clear the house of smoke, before leaving the scene after roughly an hour.

A fire service spokesman said: “It was started in an upstairs bedroom and we believe due to smoking.

“A lady was rescued by fire service personnel and, as far as we could tell, she was fine.

"Neighbours had tried to access the flat to help the woman but had been unsuccessful."

Nobody was injured in the blaze, with the elderly woman declining hospital treatment.